AWWCA 13th Annual General Meeting – Minutes

Held at Westside Baptist Church, 261 Whitney Avenue

 

Monday, Sept. 19, 2011

Registration began at 5:30 p.m. in the foyer.

President John Wigle called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. He welcomed the audience, presented the agenda, introduced the guests, and thanked Rev. Dave Stimers for letting us use the church. John then gave his president’s report (attached), which he concluded by calling Loreen Jerome and Janet Woodward forward. He presented each of them with a gift certificate to Khoosh, a Westdale bistro, in gratitude for their years of service on the board.

Barb Mansfield presented the treasurer’s report: As of Aug. 31 we had a combined bank balance of $5,120.00, consisting of $2,269 in our TD operating account and $2,851 in our ING savings account. We have approximately $640 more cash on hand than a year ago largely due to reduced operating costs. Copies of our Statement of Operations for the year ended Aug. 31, 2011, were available in the foyer. Once again there will be no increase in our membership fees. Barb thanked members who renew for two years because it saves a lot of time collecting and processing renewals. She also announced that the AWWCA hopes to offer Paypal as an online option for renewing membership. She concluded by encouraging anyone who is interested in volunteering to contact any board member after this meeting.

Carolyn Kinsley presented the 2010 AGM minutes for Angela Tirone, recording secretary, who could not attend. Barb made a motion to accept the minutes, Jay Parlar seconded it, and the motion was carried.

Loreen Jerome presented the membership report: On Aug. 31 we had 537 paid up members, including 20 Friends of the AWWCA, and 93 overdue memberships. Betty Bechtel, Earl Jerome, Barb Mansfield, and Janet Woodward assisted her in membership collection. In the past year, we welcomed 39 new members to our association. Between newsletters, we communicate with 90 per cent of our members by e-mail, an increase of 1 per cent over last year. Loreen thanked the block representatives and others who delivered about 2,800 invitations to tonight’s meeting and appealed for volunteers to become representatives for those blocks in the Ainslie Wood areas where we have none. Loreen announced her retirement from the board after 13 years serving first as treasurer and then as membership secretary and said that Angela Tirone had agreed to take over her responsibilities as membership secretary.

As nominations officer, Loreen moved that the following candidates be acclaimed as nominated: John Wigle, past president; Jay Parlar, president; Ira Rosen, first vice-president; Lavinia Welsch, second vice-president; Carolyn Kinsley, corresponding secretary; Angela Tirone, membership secretary; Barb Mansfield, treasurer; Shelli Eisenberg, Paul Faure, Pamela Grelecki, Ken Moyle, and Kevin Russell, directors. There were no objections, and the candidates were approved by acclamation.

We then moved to small-group discussions from 7 to 8:40 p.m. The reports from the breakout groups are attached.

After reassembling in the sanctuary, incoming president Jay Parlar announced that Chief Frank Biancucci of the Hamilton Fire Department had given us four smoke detectors and two carbon-monoxide detectors. Jay said that he would choose six people at random from attendees and give them the detectors.

Brian McHattie presented his Ward 1 councillor’s report: He thought the AGM had been a positive meeting. At Town and Gown Ontario he heard that we have the best working relations in Ontario among the various stakeholders in a campus community because communication is open.

He announced that proactive bylaw enforcement will become year round.

Transit is a challenge because it is so well used in this area. Buses are still full and don’t stop to pick up passengers en route to campus. Transit will be improved on King and Main.

It is still his goal to licence rental housing. Several municipalities are working on this, and city staff here are also. Project Compliance was a first step and has been good for the entire city. The Human Rights Commission had said we couldn’t focus on just the campus area.

Enrolment is the elephant in the room. We should ask candidates in the upcoming provincial election about money for student housing. We probably need two new residences on campus.

John Wigle adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m.

Minutes taken by Carolyn Kinsley in Angela Tirone’s absence

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